The three-hundred-and-first Folkmoot for Judgement was the trial of Húrin Thalion in Brethil at the end of his imprisonment, held and ordered by Hardang, Chieftain of the Haladin. It took place in the fourth century of the First Age, some years after the death of Túrin, Húrin's son.
Synopsis
It was at this trial that Hardang, sitting on the Halabor alongside men of his household, tried Húrin for his recent wrongdoings, believing them unjust. An assembly of nearly a thousand folk were present.
Húrin's charges were having wounding Hardang in the head, for being ungrateful to the company of guards that found him in Haudh-en-Elleth as reported by Daruin, and for having the intent of entering Brethil so as to kill Hardang at the bidding of Angband, from where Húrin was known to have come. Manthor, Master of the Northmarch who had found Húrin at Haudh-en-Elleth a few days prior and befriended him during Húrin's imprisonment, would speak in Húrin's defense.
Over the course of the moot, Manthor held a long debate with Daruin and Hardang, presenting true cases against the charge of Húrin's ungratefulness and against his intent to slay Hardang. By the end, Húrin spoke of the circumstance of his errand in Brethil, involving the fact that Túrin Turambar, Niënor, and Morwen (his children and wife) had died there; and he turned the hearts of roughly half of the assembled folk against Hardang. A schism of the assembly resulted, and violence ensued. The Hall of the Haladin was burned, out of which Hardang and Daruin made an escape moments before Hardang was slain.
References
- The History of Middle-earth, Vol. XI: The War of the Jewels, Part 3, chapter 1: "The Wanderings of Húrin"